Think of a student working 13 hours, staring endlessly at a computer screen. She leaves only to grab some food and go interview some people for a story she’s working on. She’s a college student, an editor at the school paper, daughter, sister and sometimes reporter. Oh, and she goes out a lot.

This is a lifestyle. This is my lifestyle— the past couple of days anyway.

A lifestyle is “an individuals whole way of life.” That’s a lot of stuff. Think of what you do. Work out at the gym. Spend time with a significant other. Play in band. Your lifestyle is, basically, you. It’s what makes you what you are.

This is the first time the Daily has ever had a “Lifestyles” section of our paper. We’ve had “Arts and Entertainment”, we’ve had “Currents”, but no “Lifestyles.” So what brought on the change? You did. The students did.

There is so much more to being a college student than just going to class, working, belonging to the greek system or going to the bars. Your years spent here at Iowa State should be filled with new experiences you’ll never forget. They should be filled with friends you’ll always keep. They should be filled with nights you may not want remember and people you’d like to forget too.

This being my last year here at ISU, I would like to now take the time to shed some perils of wisdom to cope with life as a Cyclone.

First, in case you’re wondering if you chose the right school, you did.

I began my college career at our rival school The University of Iowa. No matter how much you hear about “how fun it is there,” take my word for it, it’s overrated. Remember, immigrants used to think America’s streets were paved with gold. They, too, learned the hard way.

Secondly. Just accept the fact that if you drive a car you will get a parking ticket. Probably lots of them. Of course, my friend suggested to me that if we all just remove our windshield wipers, they would have nowhere to put the ticket. Just a suggestion.

Now the fun stuff. Welch Avenue. About seven bars packed into a single city block. Music, dance, food and coffee, it’s like a beacon of hope during Finals Week. Or any week, really. Of course, all Campustown bars are 21 and over, so take that to heart.

That brings us to the next topic of campus life: what to do if you’re not 21. I don’t want to hear “there’s nothing to do here if you can’t get into the bars.” If there are 101 ways to skin a cat, surely you can think of something to do besides wait in line, pay an exorbitant cover, go stand in an overcrowded, loud, toiletpaperless meatmarket and count the ways people try to “meet” you.

But if you aren’t prepared to pay, and I do mean pay, the consequences don’t risk it.

Besides the public humiliation at the bar where the of-agers will chant “busted,” you then have to deal with the Daily police blotter. We take great pride in our accuracy of printing who got arrested and why.

And finally, just some tid-bits that might come in helpful. Parks Library is a great place to skateboard. Lake LaVern is not a great place to skinny dip. And being an Iowa Student is a lifestyle all its own.

Good Luck. Go ‘Clones!

Kris Fettkether is a senior in Journalism and Mass Communications from Ankeny.